27 March 2021 - Pink Ride 4.0

Photo credit to https://audaxmalaysia.com/new-season-2021/

Been planning to participate for Audax for long, but every time when it comes I had something to do and not able to participate. Hence for this round, make it a point to participate with new found buddy. Coincidentally, this ride was re-schedule due to the MCO and participants just need to upload their route completion. There isn't any check-point throughout the ride. Initially there are 3-4 riders to ride together, however during the ride there only left my friend and myself. The other rider had rode earlier on already. This also good, which we could use their route map and following it directly, and easier for us to plan when to eat, rest etc.

On the day itself, I drove to meet at my friend's house to start our journey. It means also I need to wake up early of the day (which is one of my weakest point). Reached his place at around 4.00am and the plan is to start rolling from 4.30am, with the mindset of finishing earlier and minimising the heat later on the day.

Since it's early in the morning, the beginning is very smooth and everything going according to the plan and schedule. Along the way, there are some police block set up but seeing us on bicycle, it does not stop us nor giving us any trouble. Just maintain the speed till to KLIA. Since it's my first time cycling around this area and so early of the day during MCO, it's such a joy to enjoy the ride. 

By the time we hit the 80km, we start to find our food to fill. At that time, it's about 8 in the morning. We are somewhere around in Sg Pelek at that time. Not many stalls open at that time, could be due to the MCO. We just simply chosen a kopitiam to have our breakfast and proper rest. The owner is quite friendly and chat with us for a while, since there wasn't many customer at that time. Before long, we start our paddle again.

About 10km after the restart, I could feels my body not reacting normally. Energy seems leaking here and there, before long I realised I starting to bonk. I've told my friend not to wait for me anymore, as I could not follow the pace anymore. After discussion for a while, he told me that he will wait for me at Pantai Morib which is our next stop, and it's about 25km away. 

It took me around 1.5 hours to reach Pantai Morib. But along the way, one of the happiest moment was I bumped into my old car which I had sold many years ago, the very first car I bought after came out to working. And with these old nostalgia it keep me paddling till reaching Pantai Morib and catched up with my friend again. While my friend had his delicious nasi lemak, I could only ordered kopi ais and catching up my breathes. Hopefully I could recover from my bonkness. 

After this short break, it seems that I had recovered a little. Again we started to paddling back to our base, but we could start feels the heat at this moment. Once we passed the Banting town, I've faced with my first casualty of the day. The rear wheel was punctured. It was very lucky to puncture in front of huge tree and in front of residential house. Being my first Audax, suddenly I told me friend to continue his journey back to complete the ride before the cut-off time. I'm not too sure why my mind keep telling me that the cut off was 10 hours. After much nagging, my friend finally continue his ride back. Before he leaving, he told me to call him if I need any helps along the way. 

Now I'm alone to fix the whole thing and there is almost a quarter of the journey back. Taking my own sweet time, and suddenly my mind asking me to check again the cut-off time. I realised the cut-off time is 13.5 hours, means I could also finish the ride and complete the Audax. Once I finished fixing the bike, the heat is unbearable. It's time I put own my gears to become like ninja. I had my slow ride back under the heat, and could feels a lot of people gazing at me. How could a person cycling under such a hot condition?

I'm just following the map route that I had installed into my Bryton device, and continue with the pace that I could afford to. Along the way, I had many pit stops to take a break from the hot sun. During the last 15km, it's really hard for me to paddle anymore. Once again, the bonkness was back. And this time it's worst compared to the earlier one. I just keep telling myself to keep paddling to finish off what has been long overdue.

I'm not too sure what time it was by the time I reached back my friend's place, just couldn't care anymore. Take a good rest at the car, and even told my friend I don't have any appetite to eat. I just want to have a rest at the car, before start my driving back home to have proper rest. 

Even this is my first Audax, I would think that it would be better if I could join a proper Audax with all participants having the same route. At least it may be turning into fellowship ride and meeting and making new friends along the way. Hopefully, in future if time permit again I will join the ride. 

Few days later, I contacted the organiser if could still purchase the medal (and I only want the special 100th anniversary medal). Organiser was kind enough to reserve a medal for me when the next batch of arrival comes. At the end, I'm enjoying the ride and the pain along the way. Why not ??!!! No pain no gain no fun.....